Having worked in health clubs as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, and having spent the last 10 years in various gyms, clubs, fitness centers, (etc.) I’ve seen almost every method of madness possible in these equipment-packed facilities. From guys trying to do near-max lifts on the adductor machine, to women jogging on a treadmill for 2 hours. While I am very happy that so many people utilize their local health club to burn fat and improve their health, it is a little disconcerting seeing some things so frequently misused in the health club.
Of course, you can’t just walk up to someone, introduce yourself as a fitness professional, and show them a more appropriate way to exercise. There are plenty of guru’s at most health clubs that are more than happy to share their “expertise” anyway. I’m sure your health club has at least one guy that knows everything there is about all training goals, and he probably makes it a point to tell everyone what they are doing wrong. That is just plain annoying!
I believe that there is actually no WRONG way to train - only methods of training that are misapplied. Here is my list of common mistakes I see in the gym for people who are training for fat loss:
1. Not training with enough effort. This one is more common with women than men, and it is usually because women are very conscientious about performing exercises with excellent technique and don’t want to risk poor technique for more effort. The problem usually stems from confusing exertion with discomfort. For those training for fat loss, strength training should be very exerting, but not painful - and it’s important to distinguish between the two. Lifting weights should be difficult, and there is no other way to make progress other than to train hard.
If you find that you’re training with sets of very high reps, or you’re using weights that feel easy - then my advice is to pick up some heavier dumbbells, or load up the barbell with another plate. A good rule of thumb is to select a weight that allows you to perform the target repetitions, and have enough energy for ONE last rep. For fat loss, stick with sets of 6-15 repetitions, depending on your training experience.
2. Spending way too long on a cardio machine. Cardio exercise is so invaluable for those with fat burning goals, and it is one of the best things you can do to ensure you’re burning more calories throughout the week. Now, a cardio workout for fat loss should very seldom last longer than 60 minutes (unless there are special circumstances like you are training for an endurance sport). In fact, I think that most people can get all of the fat burning potential from their cardio activity in 30 minutes or less. Again, we’re back to the level of exertion that is necessary for fat loss progress. Cardio workouts should be very challenging - each and every session. It is totally possible to fully exert yourself in 30 minutes time - and maximize the calorie burning potential possible. Longer training times should be used to build your work capacity.
If you are spending more than an hour doing cardio, or if you are at a plateau in your fat loss progress, then shortening your cardio sessions and concurrently increasing the intensity of your performance will likely super-charge your fat loss. Also, make it a point to set a new personal record every time you do cardio. Whether it is doing it for a little longer time, at a higher intensity, or using intervals - always strive to improve.
3. Training only a few sections of the body. All right, this one is usually for the guys. Too many times, I have seen guys come into the gym several times a week and do the same exact workout. They will come in and hit the bench press, and mind you from every angle possible. Then, they will move onto pec flyes! Afterwards, they might do some arm-specific training - usually a lot of different bicep curl variations. These guys who want to get lean and mean don’t understand that fat loss (and building muscle) is a systemic process. The ENTIRE body must be involved with fat loss to succeed. Just training arms and chest is, in reality, short-changing yourself. A very small percentage of the body’s muscle mass is in the arms and chest (maybe this is why many men feel the need to train them the most). Actually, about 60-70% of the body’s muscle is located in just the legs. Now, we all know that our muscle largely determines our metabolism, and how many calories we burn naturally. Wouldn’t it make sense to train all of our muscles to boost the metabolic disturbance?
If your goal is fat loss, then it would behoove you to start training your entire body. You don’t have to do it all on the same day - but make sure you’re not forgetting anything. You want a body that is not only lean and mean, but also well proportioned and aesthetic. It would be advice well taken if you started doing compound movements like deadlifts, squats, cleans, jerks, vertical and horizontal pressing, and vertical and horizontal pulling.
Train hard, eat smart, and always seek improvement!
To your health and success,
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John Sifferman, NSCA-CPT
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